Courtesy of the Big East
ROSEMONT, Ill. — In what was the highest scoring title game in BIG EAST Softball Championship history, St. John’s outlasted Seton Hall, 7-5, on a breezy overcast Saturday afternoon at the Ballpark at Rosemont in suburban Chicago. The Red Storm came from behind twice to claim their first BIG EAST title in program history as top-seeded St. John’s thwarted the upset bid by the third-seeded Pirates in what was their first ever postseason meeting.
With the win, St. John’s earns the BIG EAST’s automatic bid into the NCAA Championship. The NCAA Selection Show will air live on Sunday at 10 p.m. (ET), on ESPNU. The NCAA appearance will be the Red Storm’s first in program history.
St. John’s, which was forced to resume its BIG EAST Championship Semifinal game versus Villanova just five hours prior due to thunderstorms on Friday, struck first as Brittany Garcia’s single to right field sent Krystal Puga home who had reached on a walk. The Pirates got out of the inning without too much damage, stranding two St. John’s runners.
The second inning taxed both pitchers as the teams combined for seven runs, including Seton Hall’s second four-run inning of the BIG EAST Championship and the Red Storm’s second three-run frame of the tournament. The Pirates opened the second with two walks and a single as St. John’s starting pitcher Francesca Carrullo struggled to get in a groove after a quick first inning. Jackie DiPietro, Yasmin Harrell, Sara Foster and Whitney Jones were each credited with RBI for the Pirates. The Red Storm opened the second with four singles and a walk as The Hall replaced DeStaso with Casey Moses in the circle, with all four runs being credited to DeStaso. Moses allowed just one hit in the second to escape the inning with minimal damage.
After the wild second inning, both teams went scoreless in the third with Carrullo and Moses remaining in the circle. Seton Hall regained its lead momentarily in the top of the fourth with Foster reaching on an error and scoring on one as well. The Red Storm responded with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth, with three straight singles sending Anderson home, before Yvonne Rericha’s fielder’s choice allowed Monique Landini to cross the dish.
Friday’s savior for Seton Hall, Moses, could not solve the Red Storm batters on Saturday as St. John’s tacked on another run before Moses was replaced by Lauren Fischer with The Hall trailing 7-5. Fischer got out of the jam, however, forcing BIG EAST Player of the Year Erin Burner to fly out to right field despite swirling winds and the bases loaded.
Carrullo’s first 1-2-3 inning of the day came just in time as The Hall went down in order in the sixth. It was all zeroes after that as both teams remained off the board the rest of the way as St. John’s held on for the 7-5 victory. Carrullo was credited with the win, going the distance with three strikeouts.
Puga registered a pair of RBI and a run scored, going 1-for-2 with six putouts after going 2-for-4 with a run scored and 11 putouts in the earlier win over Villanova. Puga was tabbed the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player for her efforts and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by fellow Red Storm players Carrullo, Rericha, Savannah Warren and Tori Free.
Seton Hall’s Sara Foster, Danielle DeStaso and Casey Moses were All-Tournament Team selections, joined by DePaul’s Morgan Maize and Kali Gardner and Villanova’s Tianah Hathaway and Dana Morris.
BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player
Krystal Puga, St. John’s
All-Tournament Team
Morgan Maize, DePaul
Kali Gardner, DePaul
Tianah Hathaway, Villanova
Dana Morris, Villanova
Sara Foster, Seton Hall
Danielle DeStaso, Seton Hall
Casey Moses, Seton Hall
Savannah Warren, St. John’s
Tori Free, St. John’s
Francesca Carrullo, St. John’s
Yvonne Rericha, St. John’s
Krystal Puga, St. John’s
